Thickness adjustment mechanism for press

ABSTRACT

A mechanism to provide thickness adjustment for controlling the operation of a press ram. In a cam driven press, an eccentric roller is connected at the operator side of the treadle, while the ram is connected to the opposite treadle side. Responsive to the selective adjustment of the degree of eccentricity of the roller, the ram may be made to move either higher or lower.

United States Patent 19] [451 July 3, 1973 Smith et al.

[ THICKNESS ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM FOR PRESS [75] Inventors: Joseph E. Smith, Birmingham;

Georges D. DeTroyer, Grosse Ile, both of Mich.

[73] Assignee: Wolverlne-Pentronix, Inc., Lincoln Park, Mich.

221 Filed: Aug. 17, 1971 211 Appl. No.: 172,471-

[52] US. Cl 74/53, 425/355, 74/54 [51] Int. Cl. Fl6h 25/08 [58] Field of Search 74/53; 54; 425/352,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 700,363 5/1902 Nixon 74/53 Kux 425/352 2,578,632 12/1951 Miller.... 74/54 2,882,556 4/1959 Hall 425/78 3,026,832 3/1962 Taketomi 74/54 3,408,963 1 1/1968 Alexander, Jr. et al. 425/355 3/1972 Pocaterra 74/53 Primary Examiner-Charles .l. Myhre Assistant Examiner-Wesley S. Ratlifi', Jr.

Attorney-liobert C. Hauke, Claude A. Patalidis et al.

[ ABSTRACT A mechanism to provide thickness adjustment for controlling the operation of a press ram. In a cam driven press, an'eccentric roller is connected at the operator side of the treadle, while the ram is connected to the opposite treadle side. Responsive to the selective adjustment of the degree of eccentricity of the roller, the ram may be made to move either higher or lower.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures THICKNESS ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM FOR PRESS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to cam operated presses and, more particularly, to such presses which are employed to manufacture pressed ferrite cores. Precise control of l the press mechanism is required in order to insure maintaining uniform core height and holding tight tolerances.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a precisely controllable, incrementally adjustable height adjustment for controlling the thickness of the workpiece. The adjusting mechanism is readily adaptable to precise operator control by reason of the type of mechanism and the linkages employed which permit its positioning next to the front control panel of the press.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS showing the adjustment mechanism in its other extreme position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. I shows a press operator treadle which is rockably mounted about its pivot axis 12. Responsive to the movement of the treadle 10, there is provided a controlled upward movement of a press ram 16, which ram is norm ally supported in a yoke 14 at the right end of the treadle 10. A second yoke is shown at the left end of the treadle 10 which includes a pair of opposed side arms 18 and 20. An eccentrically supported roller 28 is mounted between the side arms 18 and 20 on a shaft 22 such that the axis of rotation of the roller 28 is eccentric relative to the axis of the shaft 22. The operator for the treadle and the ram 16 is embodied in the form of a cam 24, which in turn is mounted on a central shaft 26. Responsive to the engagement of the cam 24 against the opposed surface of the eccentric roller 28,

there will be a rocking movement of the treadle about its pivot axis 12 and a corresponding controlled upward movement of the ram 16 with its associated tool. A hub 30, which is concentric with the shaft 22, is mounted at the right hand shaft end. A pinion gear 32 is mounted at the right hand end of the hub with a plurality of teeth 34 formed and extending in the manner shown. The adjusting mechanism for the thickness of the workpiece and the corresponding stroke of the ram 16 includes an adjusting shaft 36 which extends forwardly of the ram 16 and is positioned proximate the front control panel of the press (not shown). At the right hand end of the adjusting shaft 36, there is a rotatable adjustment wheel 38, which has fixed to it at its right hand end a bevel gear 40. At the end of the shaft 36 is mounted a second bevel gear 42, whose teeth are engageable with the teeth of the bevel gear 40. It will be seen that the gear 42 will be rotated along with the shaft 36 according to the manipulative adjustment of the wheel 38. The lower end of the adjusting shaft 36 is connected through a universal joint 44 to a second shaft 46, which has fixed at its lower end a worm gear 48. The teeth of the worm gear 48 are engageable with the teeth 34 of the pinion gear 32 to provide rotation of the shaft 22 and to accordingly adjust the degree of eccentricity of the axis of rotation of the roller 28.

The manner of operation of the adjustment mechanism is made clear by reference to the showing of FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 illustrates the position of the press cam 24 relative to the eccentric roller 28, with the eccentric roller 28 being placed in its uppermost position. This positioning has of course been made through the rotation of the adjusting wheel 38, through bevel gears 40 and 42 and, finally, through the operation of the worm gear 48 in engagement with the gear 32 mounted on the periphery of the hub 30. The connection of the two adjusting shafts 36 and 46 is made through the universal joint 44, which is in line with the treadle pivot axis 12 as shown in FIG. 1. The right hand yoke 14 and ram 16 are actuated to a higher point.

' The'opposite extreme condition is illustrated in FIG. 3 wherein the eccentric roller 28 has been placed into its lowermost position by-the rotation of the worm gear 48 of the pinion gear 32. In this manner, with the eccentric roller 28 turned down, the right hand end of the treadle 10 which carries the ram 16 will be raised to a lower position as is illustrated in FIG. 3. Because of the type of adjusting mechanism used, the thickness adjustment may be incrementally made with a high degree of accuracy between the two extremes pictured in FIGS. 2 and 3.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by the instant invention a substantially improved thickness adjustment mechanism for operation of a precision press.

What is claimed is:

1. A thickness adjustment mechanism for a press comprising a cyclically operable press cam, a treadle pivotably mounted and supported about a pivot axis, said treadle including a yoke at one end for operative connection to a press ram and a yoke at its opposite end, said last mentioned yoke including a roller supported therein and cyclically engageable by said cam to provide a rocking movement of said treadle about said pivot axis, said roller being eccentrically adjustable about its longitudinal axis, and an adjusting means operatively connected to said roller for adjusting its degree of eccentricity, comprising a manipulative means extending forwardly of said ram.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said adjusting means comprises a shaft eccentrically supporting said roller, a pinion gear affixed at one end thereof, and a worm gear engaging said pinion gear and operable by said presettable means for adjusting the eccentric position of said roller as a function of the amount of rotation of said shaft.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein a control wheel is positioned forwardly of said ram and is operatively connected to said worm gear through a rotatable shaft for predetermining the amount of rotation of said shaft.

-a manipulative means operatively connected to said shaft for rotating said shaft for adjusting the degree of eccentricity of said roller, whereby the movement of said treadle imparted by said cam may be selectively preset.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein a gear is mounted on said shaft and said manipulative means comprises an adjusting shaft having a wheel affixed to one end and a worm gear affixed to the other, said worm gear being engaged with said gear on said shaft providing rotation of said shaft for adjusting the degree of eccentricity of said roller. 

1. A thickness adjustment mechanism for a press comprising a cyclically operable press cam, a treadle pivotably mounted and supported about a pivot axis, said treadle including a yoke at one end for operative connection to a press ram and a yoke at its opposite end, said last mentioned yoke including a roller supported therein and cyclically engageable by said cam to provide a rocking movement of said treadle about said pivot axis, said roller being eccentrically adjustable about its longitudinal axis, and an adjusting means operatively connected to said roller for adjusting its degree of eccentricity, comprising a manipulative means extending forwardly of said ram.
 2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said adjusting means comprises a shaft eccentrically supporting said roller, a pinion gear affixed at one end thereof, and a worm gear engaging said pinion gear and operable by said presettable means for adjusting the eccentric position of said roller as a function of the amount of rotation of said shaft.
 3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein a control wheel is positioned forwardly of said ram and is operatively connected to said worm gear through a rotatable shaft for predetermining the amount of rotation of said shaft.
 4. A press operating mechanism comprising a cyclically operated press cam, a treadle rockably mounted about a pivot axis, said treadle having one end operatively connected to a ram and the other end cyclically operable by engagement with said cam to provide a stroke of said ram, said second end including a pair of opposed arms and having a shaft supported therebetween, a roller eccentrically mounted on said shaft for engagement with the operative surface of said cam, and a manipulative means operatively connected to said shaft for rotating said shaft for adjusting the degree of eccentricity of said roller, whereby the movement of said treadle imparted by said cam may be selectively preset.
 5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein a gear is mounted on said shaft and said manipulative means comprises an adjusting shaft having a wheel affixed to one end and a worm gear affixed to the other, said worm gear being engaged with said gear on said shaft providing rotation of said shaft for adjusting the degree of eccentricity of said roller. 